I’ve mentioned here a couple of times how I’m participating in an NFL pool this year, Pauly’s Pub. The league name comes from its commissioner, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Pauly. It’s a straight-up “pick ’em” pool — meaning everyone picks winners for all the games (i.e., not against the spread).

I started the year slowly with my entry — “More Cowbell” — then had a nice stretch of four weeks or so during which I got back into contention. However, with three weeks to go I am now a longshot to make the money (i.e., the top four spots out of 40). I’m currently tied for eighth, but am five games behind the two teams tied for third. Would be remarkable somehow for me to gain that much ground over the last 48 games, I think.

Overall this year I’ve picked 143 of 208 games correctly. That’s just 68.75% overall, although better than almost 96% of the tens of thousands participating in ESPN’s Pigskin Pick’em game. My worst week was Week 7, when I only picked a miserable 7 of 14 correctly. My best came the following Week 8, when I chose the right team in 11 of 13 games.

Kind of interesting to see that of all of entries on ESPN, the absolute best anyone has done is 158. That’s basically just getting one more correct per week than I have. The top entry in Pauly’s Pub, “Fear the Ginger,” a.k.a. Lance Bradley (Bluff Magazine Editor-in-Chief), has hit an impressive 155. He appears to have locked the sucker up, as our buddy Julius Goat (“Some Jive-Ass Slippers”) is in a distant second with 149.

We’re all searching for a system, I suppose. Except for those who have already discovered theirs. For example, if I understood a series of tweets Mr. Goat sent out last week correctly, he makes his picks following a complicated rubric based on the relative fear induced by team names.

Topping the list as the least threatening names (according to JG) are the Browns (“‘The Browns In the Superbowl’ sounds like a euphemism. Not a good sign”), the Cardinals (“only intimidating if you are a seed”), and the Chargers (“once was much stronger, but in the age of cell phones and laptops it has downgraded to wussy accessory”). Search his Twitter timeline for more. (And for even more grins, start following.)

I’m not much for gambling on sports, really. Not too long ago I wrote a post here called “Confessions of a Non-Gambler” in which I explained how poker actually tended to diminish rather than encourage whatever small urge I might have had to wander over to the sports book and place a bet. The utter lack of control — which I know some enjoy immensely — is what tends to make sports betting less fun for me.

That said, I’m digging having a rooting interest in every single game this year. I’m an NFL fan anyway, and can thus be engaged no matter who is playing or what the situation. But this year I’m finding myself living or dying with every friggin’ game. Whether I miraculously make the cash or not, the increased fun I’ve had following games was most certainly worth more than the modest entry fee.

Thus, relatively inconsequential games like that Detroit-Cleveland epic from Week 11 in which the Lions (whom I picked) lost on the last play 38-37 now stand out in my mind as the most memorable of the year. So do other, more significant games like that New England-Indianapolis debacle from Week 10 in which Belichick crazily went for that fourth down late. (Had the Pats there, I did.)

But I’ve won my share of games on last-second plays, too. Much like the percentages in poker, such things tend to even out, I guess.

Not surprisingly, I’ve done best when trying to predict games involving the league’s worst teams. Have only missed picking games involving the St. Louis Rams (1-12) and Detroit Lions (2-11) a single time all year. (And, as mentioned, could’ve been perfect with Detroit thus far if not for that game they lost to the Euphemisms.) Also doing well with the two remaining undefeated teams, the Indianapolis Colts (13-0) and New Orleans Saints (13-0), having only picked against them twice each. Of course, I assume most everyone has done well with those teams.

Meanwhile, I’ve guessed incorrectly seven times when picking games involving the surprising Cincinnati Bengals (9-4), the uneven Jacksonville Jaguars (7-6), and the disappointing Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7). I also have missed seven games involving the hard-to-figure San Francisco 49ers (6-7), although one of those was a Thursday game I forgot to pick. (Did get the Niners right last night, though. Woot!)

So, fellow NFL prognosticators… how have you done? Let me know. Meanwhile, I have some injury reports to study.

Related posts:

1. Tough Table I’m a sports fan and particularly enjoy following basketball…
2. Can the Detroit Lions get back up from their 0-16 disaster in the coming 2009 NFL Football Season? SPORTSBETTING.COM probably thinks so. Then again, these guys are…
3. It’s New York vs. Philadelphia this Sunday in the NFL And although these teams from NYC and Philly won’t…

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

In case you haven’t heard, we had a rather surprising end to Thanksgiving.

Yes, and that’s all thanks to Tiger Woods who, just last Friday, was involved in a car accident that was probably caused by a martial spat between him and his wife Elin Nordegren.

The accident forced Tiger to withdraw from his own tournament that was suppose to benefit his charity foundation. However, withdrawing from his own tournament is the least of Tiger’s worries now.

Since the car accident may have been caused by a martial spat between Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, the clean image Tiger has been building for years are all in shambles now.

In case you didn’t know, Tiger was rumored to have been having an affair with a certain Rachel Uchitel from Los Angeles and with the incident, it certainly proves once and for all that this thing between Uchitel, Tiger and his wife is more than just speculation.

So who is this Rachel Uchitel you ask?

Well, this girl has a thing for sports athletes. You see, she has a reputation for dating married celebrities with her having been involved with the likes of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez before. Nabbing a Tiger however, should be the biggest catch she has ever made since it has already created quite a media storm.

Authorities found Tiger Woods dazed on the ground, fading…

Related posts:

1. Tiger Woods Fart Video The golf God Tiger Woods lets a big fart…
2. The 91st PGA Championship is here, will you bet on Tiger Woods wining his first Major of 2009? In case you haven’t noticed, he has yet to…
3. Can Tiger Woods defend his title at 2009 U.S. Open? We’ll see soon enough if Tiger Woods is really…

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Current Derby favourite and 2,000 Guineas winner Sea The Stars heads the list of Timeform’s top rated three-year-old horses in Europe. Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra is top ranked in the US.

Leading Three Year Olds in Europe
126p Sea The Stars (Ire)
124p Crowded House
121+ Delegator
120 Mastercraftsman (Ire)
119p Gan Amhras (Ire)
119 Bushranger (Ire)
118p Rip Van Winkle (Ire)
118 Amour Propre
117 Art Connoisseur (Ire)
117 Gallagher
117 Intense Focus (USA)
117 Lord Shanakill (USA)
117 Naaqoos
117 Rainbow View (USA)
116p Fantasia
116p Recharge (Ire)
116p Vocalised (USA)
116 Ashram (Ire)
116 Finjaan
116 Ghanaati (USA)
116 Regal Ransom (USA)

Leading Three Year Olds in North America

129 Rachel Alexandra
126 Mine That Bird
123p Quality Road
122 Friesan Fire
121 The Pamplemousse
120 Dunkirk
119 General Quarters
118 Old Fashioned
118 Stardom Bound
117p I Want Revenge
117 Pioneerof The Nile
117 Square Eddie
117 Win Willy
115 Advice
115 Hold Me Back
115 Musket Man
115 Papa Clem

Many of the world’s top poker superstars as well as hundreds of amateur poker players from all over the nation and abroad are expected to participate in the fourth annual World Series of Poker Circuit championship being held Monday, April 27 through Thursday, April 30, 2009. In previous years, the Caesars Palace Las Vegas championship has attracted former world poker champions including — Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen, Chris Moneymaker, Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, Jamie Gold, and Jerry Yang. In addition, many other poker celebrities have played in the competition, including Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Allen Cunningham, and many others. Most players are very media friendly and will be eager to give interviews.

The World Series of Poker is the richest sporting event in the world. In 2005, the WSOP, which has been a proud Las Vegas tradition dating back to 1970, went on the road for the first time. Each year since, the WSOP Circuit has made up to 12 stops at casinos around the country. Caesars Palace is the only stop of the current Circuit season in Las Vegas, making this championship tournament truly special for everyone. In what promises to be one of the most media friendly events of the year in Las Vegas, television, print, and Internet media are invited to attend any of the four days and get close to the high-stakes action. Last year’s championship was won by five-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Allen Cunningham, who collected half-a-million dollars for first place, plus the coveted WSOP Circuit gold ring (his career first). The 2008 tournament attracted 334 entries.

The four-day competition will be open to media from start to finish. Tournament play begins at noon daily and lasts until around midnight. The championship final table will be played on Thursday and will begin at 2 pm.

For press information or to learn more about featuring the poker tournament, please contact Nolan Dalla (WSOP Media Director) at: nolandalla@aol.com or telephone (702) 358-4642

For information about Caesars Palace Las Vegas and the poker room, please contact Jim Pedulla (Poker Room Manager) at: jpedulla@caesarspalace.com or telephone (702) 731-7349

____________________

by Nolan Dalla

Many of the world’s top poker superstars as well as hundreds of amateur poker players from all over the nation and abroad are expected to participate in the fourth annual World Series of Poker Circuit championship being held Monday, April 27 through Thursday, April 30, 2009. In previous years, the Caesars Palace Las Vegas championship has attracted former world poker champions including — Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen, Chris Moneymaker, Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, Jamie Gold, and Jerry Yang. In addition, many other poker celebrities have played in the competition, including Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Allen Cunningham, and many others. Most players are very media friendly and will be eager to give interviews.

The World Series of Poker is the richest sporting event in the world. In 2005, the WSOP, which has been a proud Las Vegas tradition dating back to 1970, went on the road for the first time. Each year since, the WSOP Circuit has made up to 12 stops at casinos around the country. Caesars Palace is the only stop of the current Circuit season in Las Vegas, making this championship tournament truly special for everyone. In what promises to be one of the most media friendly events of the year in Las Vegas, television, print, and Internet media are invited to attend any of the four days and get close to the high-stakes action. Last year’s championship was won by five-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Allen Cunningham, who collected half-a-million dollars for first place, plus the coveted WSOP Circuit gold ring (his career first). The 2008 tournament attracted 334 entries.

The four-day competition will be open to media from start to finish. Tournament play begins at noon daily and lasts until around midnight. The championship final table will be played on Thursday and will begin at 2 pm.

For press information or to learn more about featuring the poker tournament, please contact Nolan Dalla (WSOP Media Director) at: nolandalla@aol.com or telephone (702) 358-4642

For information about Caesars Palace Las Vegas and the poker room, please contact Jim Pedulla (Poker Room Manager) at: jpedulla@caesarspalace.com or telephone (702) 731-7349

____________________

by Nolan Dalla